Dark side of the sun: The River Region guide to the eclipse

The biggest celestial event in the United States since 1979 is about to take place on Monday, August 21. As the excitement continues to build, NASA experts have some safety tips for how to view the total solar eclipse. Most importantly, people should not look directly at the sun without protective eyewear containing solar filter lenses. Experts also warn that ordinary sunglasses, homemade filters, unfiltered cameras, telescopes, binoculars and other optical devices will not protect your eyes from damage, which can include blindness.
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Think of it like holding a silver dollar up to the sky. At a certain distance and a certain angle, that inch-and-a-half wide disc can block the sun, the 864,000 mile-wide center of our universe.

On Monday, a similar phenomenon will happen on much larger scale as the Earth’s moon slides between our planet and the sun to completely block the latter from view.

Monday’s total solar eclipse will be an astronomic spectacle, one that only occurs every few decades.

“Never before will a celestial event be viewed by so many and explored from so many vantage points – from space, from the air, and from the ground,” said Thomas Zarbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington D.C. in an email Friday.

The last solar eclipse was in 1991, according to NASA, but this is the first total solar eclipse to travel across the United States from coast to coast since 1918.

Here’s what you need to know about viewing and preparing for the solar eclipse and what procedures are in place at local schools:

(Not quite) total eclipse of the sun

Unfortunately, the River Region is not in the path of totality, the 70-mile wide swath of land along the path of the eclipse that will witness 100 percent obstruction of the sun by the moon.

Those in Montgomery are projected to see the moon eclipse 90 percent of the sun. Eclectic and Tuskegee are projected to see 91 percent while other cities such as Autaugaville and Selma are estimated to see 89 percent, according to NASA.

The next total solar eclipse will be in 2024; Montgomery will not be in the path of totality of a solar eclipse until 2045, according to W.A. Gayle Planetarium Director Rick Evans.

But Evans is not waiting that long.

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A partial solar eclipse will happen on Aug. 21. Check out these safety tips.
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Evans is driving to Kentucky this weekend to view the total eclipse and capture it on 360-degree video to be shown at the planetarium.

“I’ve seen partials but have never been in the path of totality,” Evans said. “This time I’ll actually be going (to see it).

There's approximately a 35 percent chance of rain Monday in Montgomery. National Weather Service in Birmingham meteorologist Holly Allen said there is a chance of cloud cover in 50 to 60 percent of the area.

"The cloud cover might prevent you from seeing the sun directly, but the effects of the eclipse will still be seen as the shadow moves across," Allen said.

Safety first

No matter where you are viewing the eclipse from, protecting your eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation is paramount, Evans said.

The planetarium began selling protective eclipse glasses two years ago while looking forward to this year’s solar phenomenon, but most vendors — including the planetarium — are now sold out.

The complete passing of the moon before the sun will be a three-hour event from about noon till 3 p.m. The sun will be most eclipsed at about 1:35 p.m. in Montgomery.

Some may be tempted to look at the eclipse without protective eyewear, but Evans said even when the moon is fully in front of the sun, those not in the path of totality need to protect their eyes.

“The thing about eclipses is it’s something unique and kind of special so you want to look at it, but it’s never safe to look at the sun at any point whether it’s an eclipse or not,” Evans said. “The only time it is ever safe (to look at the sun) is if it is a total eclipse and the sun is blocked entirely by the moon.”

CLOSE

If you're planning to watch the solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, make sure you wear protective shades. Although it may not be painful, Business Insider reports that you could suffer from solar retinopathy, if you attempt to look directly at the sun during the eclipse. They say that "ultraviolet light from the sun can penetrate and be absorbed into your retina," potentially causing vision problems for days, weeks, even permanently. Although blindness is not the singular result of solar retinopathy, for most, reports say that your central vision could be affected, making objects appear blurry or spotty. If you don't have protective shades, the report says to make "a simple pinhole viewer" to view safely.
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Because retinas have no pain sensors, Evans said those who look at the eclipse without certified eclipse glasses won’t be able to tell if they are “frying their eyes," and sunglasses are not a viable alternative.

“You may think, ‘Well, that dims it; I’ve got eight pairs of sunglasses on.’ It’s still not protecting your eyes.’ They are not safe to look (at the sun)," Evans said.

Those who purchase glasses online must also be certain they are buying certified eclipse glasses.

People line up at the W.A. Gayle Planetarium to buy solar eclipse glasses on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Rick Evans, W.A. Gayle Planetarium director, said they sold out four separate times in the last seven days and that they are now currently sold out having sold 12,000 pairs of eclipse glasses total. "Something you learn in kindergarten, share," Evans told customers as he sold no more than three per customer at $2 a pair. "We want to get these to as many people as possible" Evans said. The planetarium will show an eclipse show at 10:30 a.m. on Monday and then view the eclipse outside afterwards. (Photo: Albert Cesare / Advertiser)

Online merchant Amazon issued hundreds of refunds to those who purchased unverified eclipse glasses last week, and Flowers Elementary School was one of those affected by the fraud.

Erin Bankert, a fifth-grade science teacher at Flowers, said she and school principal Ethel Barnes bought glasses off Amazon for the students. After being alerted that the glasses were fraudulent, they were issued a refund but Bankert can no longer take her kids outside to view the eclipse.

“I would totally rather be outside. I think it’s an incredible teachable moment and for them to experience it would be ideal,” Bankert said.

If you don’t have glasses...

Although Evans will be in Kentucky on Monday, the planetarium will host a viewing party. A movie on the eclipse will be shown at 10:30 a.m. and 50 pairs of eclipse glasses will be available to be shared among those without glasses.

For those without glasses hoping to view the eclipse from home, there are other options. Welding goggles grade 12 or above will suffice, but Evans warned that the sun may look green and not very clear.

Evans also suggested craftier options to view the eclipse without looking at the sun.

“There’s number of ways you can do it at home with a projection box, two pieces of cardboard where you poke a hole in one and let the sun shine through it on the other. You can just have the sun shine through (the hole in the cardboard) onto the sidewalk and watch it that way,” Evans said.

How local schools have prepared

Those not willing or able to craft a pinhole projector can do as Bankert and her students will do Monday: watch a livestream of the eclipse online.

Montgomery Public Schools, and public schools in Autauga and Elmore counties have all allowed schools to handle eclipse viewing on an individual basis.

Students with the recommended glasses and signed permission slips will be able to view the eclipse outside while others such as Bankert’s class will watch the livestream, but each MPS school has decided for itself how to handle the eclipse.

“Rather than dictate what each school should do, we just left it up to them. They can go out and view it if they have the proper eyewear, use a pinhole camera, or watch it inside with a smartboard or computer online,” said MPS Senior Communication Officer Tom Salter.

Still, Bankert said her class' online viewing party has its own merits.

Using an eclipse package bought from TeachersPayTeachers.com, Bankert said her class will be able to collect and enter data about the phases of the eclipse and compare their data with other schools across the path of the eclipse.

With the eclipse scheduled to last until about 3 p.m., some schools will let out while the eclipse is occurring. Students will not be held later to avoid going outside during the eclipse, but Salter said principals, teachers and bus drivers will be responsible for reminding students not to look at the partially obstructed sun.

Physical education classes will also be held indoors Monday as the only outside activities will be eclipse related, Salter said.

Elmore and Autauga county school systems said students checked out early to watch the eclipse with their parents will receive an excused absence. Salter said absences for MPS students will be unexcused if the eclipse is given as the reason.

Reporter Marty Roney contributed to this report

How to build an eclipse projector:

Materials:

A closed cardboard box

A styrofoam cup

Scissors, knife or other cutting tool

Directions:

Stand a closed cardboard box vertically.

Use a styrofoam cup to trace a hole on the top side of the box.

Cut the hole out, cut the bottom off the cup and wedge/glue the cup into the hole forming a sort of funnel.

Cut a square viewing port into the side of the box so you can see the bottom of the inside.

Point that top end with the cup toward the sun and, when aligned properly, a circle of light will be visible at the bottom of the box. The eclipse can then be viewed as a shadow passing over the circle of light within the box.

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This homemade eclipse projector allows one to view the eclipse without looking at the sun.(Photo: Andrew Yawn / Advertiser)